The Flex Freight System which wagon leasing company Wascosa and chemical manufacturer BASF have developed for the transport of chemicals by rail and then autonomous vehicle was exhibited at the Transport Logistic trade fair in München in mid-May.

Locomore filing for insolvency highlights the crippling cost challenges and entry barriers' in the rail sector which are 'limiting the growth of eco-friendly transport', according to the Alliance of Rail New Entrants which represents European open access operators.

President of the Swiss Confederation Doris Leuthard joined 500 guests at the official roll-out of the first compete EC250 Giruno 250 km/h inter-city trainset at Stadler’s Bussnang plant on May 18. ‘The Giruno sets a new standard, just like Switzerland did with the Gotthard Base Tunnel’, said Leuthard ‘This is something we can truly be proud of.’

The Greenbrier Companies and Astra Rail Management announced on May 18 that they had obtained the regulatory approvals needed to complete a merger of their European activities to create the ‘largest end-to-end, Europe-based freight railcar business’.

Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia have agreed to seek European Union funding to rehabilitate and reopen the 177·9 km Una line between Novi Grad (Bosanski Novi) and Knin. This once provided the shortest rail route between Zagreb and the Adriatic port of Split, but it has been out of use since being badly damaged during the wars of 1991-96.

DHL Global Forwarding has opened a central China Rail Competence Centre in Stuttgart to co-ordinate the growing volumes of freight it is sending from Germany to Asia by rail. This includes shipments for automotive, technology, mechanical engineering and retail customers.

The national operator is expecting to make a pre-tax profit of €39∙2m in 2017, RENFE President Juan Alfaro has told MPs. For the first time since the present corporate structure was adopted in 2005, this positive result would be due to income generated by the group’s own activities.

The first of three additional freight shuttle rakes for carrying lorries was inaugurated by Groupe Eurotunnel Chairman & CEO Jacques Gounon and President of the Hauts-de-France Region Xavier Bertrand at the end of April.

A range of advanced subsystems and materials selected to highlight possible technology options are included in the Legios Clever demonstrator wagon which Legois exhibited at the Transport Logistic trade fair in München on May 9-11.

Plans for a restructuring of various activities in Germany were announced by Siemens on May 11, as part of strategy to become a ‘digital industry company’ and reduce costs. The measures included centralisation of IT and training activities, and the loss of around 1 700 jobs over several years including 300 at the Mobility Division’s Krefeld plant. Another 1 000 jobs across the company will be transferred internally or externally.

A joint venture of Millet SA and RegioRail has been selected by the port authorities of La Rochelle and Nantes Saint-Nazaire to become the new traction partner in their rail operating company OFP Atlantique. Millet and RegioRail are to form OuestRail which will take a 24∙9% stake in OFP Atlantique, La Rochelle holding 50∙2% and the port of Nantes Saint-Nazaire 24∙9%.

The European Parliament's Committee on Transport & Tourism has published a research report into the future of night train services which was produced by consultancy Steer Davies Gleave with support from Politecnico di Milano.

The One Belt, One Road Initiative, also known as the Silk Road initiative, was officially launched by the Chinese government in 2013. The economic plan is designed to link China with Central and South Asia, the Middle East and Europe by road as well as by sea.